


Three Birds in Flight

by clarityhiding



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Depression, F/M, Happy Ending, Jason Todd is Red Robin, M/M, Multi, Notfic, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 14:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18412844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarityhiding/pseuds/clarityhiding
Summary: In a world where you need three people to procreate, nearly everyone has two soulmates that they can form a soulbonded triad with. Sometimes, people get a little lost finding their way to where they need to be.Not!fic for the sad soulmate triad Jason/Tim/Kon AOB AU I will never actually write!





	Three Birds in Flight

**Author's Note:**

> I basically told this to people over at the Tim Drake Discord as a sort of campfire story. It got long enough and detailed enough that I made it into a not!fic because I am not going to write it (too many threesomes).
> 
> Like my last sad soulmate AU, the AOB part of the story is not that important. In fact, it's even _less_ important in this one than in the last one.

There's a good chance I'll never write the threesome sad soulmate AU (threesomes are a bitch to write and it would have SO MANY THREESOMES), so I let people ask me all kinds of questions and I thoroughly spoiled the entire plot.

(It's also AOB, but to a point that it's inconsequential to the plot. Like… it's even less of a plot point than it was in my last sad soulmate AU.)

Basic idea is that it's a universe where triad soulmates are the default (usually AOB triads, possibly all three are needed for successful reproduction, but like I said, inconsequential). Tim's parents are Jack, Janet, Dana; Jason's are Willis, Catherine, Sheila; etc. (Haha, Alfred is probably Bruce's third parent oh god. Bruce's triad is Bruce/Clark/Lois—Bruce is a beta, Clark a null who pretends to be an omega so their relationship appears Completely Normal, and Lois is an alpha. She's terrifying and they love her.)

The (main) soulmate triad is, of course, JayTimKon, except Jason and Kon meet waaaaay before they meet Tim because there's an emotional bond between soulmates and Kon is made a little earlier and ~~ends up saving Jason in Ethiopia~~ Jason never goes to Ethiopia because he has a much more stable parent group with Clark and Lois added in, so no death yaaaaay.

Because Jason doesn't die, Tim never becomes Robin, so he has no reason to meet Kon (or Jason or any of the rest of the Batfam outside their civilian IDs).

There's this thing where it's acknowledged that all parts of a soulbond triad should meet after at least two members meet because otherwise it can cause a lot of strain over the emotional bond to be only half-done? (This is a soulmark AU, btw. People will have a mark that's, like… a butterfly, and they'll have one wing turn dark when they meet one person and the other wing will darken when they meet the third person. JayTimKon have a stylized bird in flight, though when it's only half-there it looks like a profile of a flying bird.)

Only more Aesthetic™.

Tim doesn't stalk that much because 1) no dead Robin means much happier/better Batman, 2) Robin and Superboy meet through the Teen Titans and now Superboy is following after Robin like an adorable puppy ~~or a Tim~~ and it's hard to stalk someone when his boyfriend with super senses is constantly hanging around.

(Kon is still not allowed in Gotham as anything other than average joe Conner Kent—he's not supposed to use his powers while he's in the city, but the adults are not about to split up the adorable little lovebird bff.)

So Ethiopia totally doesn't happen when Tim is 12 or 13 or so. Since there's no big deal about Robin disappearing/Jason dying, he doesn't know anything significant has happened in Robin's (or Superboy's) life. All he knows is he starts to feel a bit of a tug that means his soulmates have met each other. That's fine, though, because he has plenty of time to get around to meeting them. There's like… a vaguely 4-to-10-year grace period for all three to meet.

(He also doesn't stalk as much because Jack/Janet/Dana is a much healthier relationship than Jack/Janet and they're much better at the parenting thing. Plus, Dana doesn't travel the way her partners do, so he doesn't have as many opportunities to sneak out at night.)

When he's about 15, his dad and mother are severely injured overseas, his mother dying before she can be flown back to the States. Jack makes it back, but dies in the hospital (after extracting a promise from Tim that he'll look after his mom/family), and his mom (who stayed in Gotham) has a completely breakdown at the sudden loss of her soulmates and the stress is so much that she nearly loses her—

Well, let's just say she is in a delicate way.

While this is all happening, Tim starts feeling serious tugs on his bond. Well. At first they're tugs, but then it escalates to outright pain. He starts wearing a wrist brace so that he doesn't use that hand/wrist because it hurts to move it at all. He wants to go check on his soulmates—they're clearly hurting and need him! But they also have each other and his mom and new baby sister only have him and he has to be there because Dana can't work and no one can know how bad off she is because then he and his sister might get taken away and that would _break_ his mom and also he promised his dad and and

(This would be the part of the story where Tim is sad.)

He forges his mom's signatures and stuff to sell DI off to WE so that there's enough money to take care of the bills from his parents' hospital stays and to support his family until he's old enough to drop out and get a job and/or his mom is recovered enough to go back to work.

He's _so_ consumed with looking after his family that he doesn't even notice when his wrist stops hurting.

He's 16/17. It's been 3–4 years since his soulmates met one another. He removes the brace to take a shower one day and oh. There's no longer a mark on his wrist. That's different.

Tim sort of… blinks at it. Aah. He knows what this is. By not heeding his soulmates' psychic plea, he has severed the connection. He is no longer a part of a soulmate triad. It happens, sometimes.

He takes a shower, puts on a long-sleeved shirt, and goes to work. He still has to take care of his family.

(Duos happen. They're more common for non-bonded relationships than bonded ones, but sometimes a bonded duo will choose to not bond with their third and/or forcibly excise them for one reason or another. Sometimes an individual will decide they'd rather not be tied down to a triad; see: Willis, Catherine, and Sheila. Sheila was a part of a bonded triad and chose not to remain so.)

Tim works jobs that don't require a high school diploma. He should probably get a GED, but… why? He doesn't have ambitions. He doesn't have interests. He doesn't have hobbies. He doesn't have anything, except that he promised his dad he would take care of his mom and sister. So that is what he does. He works. And eats. And sleeps. Puts money in an account for his family. It's life.

He's working as a supermarket cashier/bagger and one day there's someone in his line and when they hand over their money, he sees that they have a mark on their wrist like the profile of a bird in flight. He slowly blinks. "Oh."

"Something the matter?" the person asks.

Tim is focused on the register. "Did you want your receipt?"

They do not want their receipt. They leave.

It doesn't even occur to him until later that he could have looked at their face. (He doesn't look people in the eye anymore. It makes them… uncomfortable.)

(He hasn't seen or spoken to his family in months. His mom texts, wanting to know what he wants to do for his birthday; he tells her he is working a double-shift. She texts, lets him know when they're doing family dinner for his sister's birthday; he is working then, too. Eventually, she will realize that he will be working for every significant date/holiday. Eventually, she will lose the guilty sense of duty and cease trying to contact him.)

(He has stopped trying to see his family. He makes them uncomfortable. He is supposed to make sure they are safe and happy. It is easier to do that when he isn't around them.)

One evening, Tim is sitting on the edge of the roof of his building. It is coming up on midnight. He got off work thirty minutes ago, came home and ate supper. Normally, he is in bed by now. (Being in bed is better than staring at the wall, doing nothing. He usually goes to bed right after supper.) He stands. Looks down. It is a long drop. This is a 15-story building.

There is only pavement, far below.

"Hey. You wanna move away from that edge, maybe?" someone says. It is a familiar voice. The voice of someone who, a few weeks ago, did not want his receipt.

This time, Tim turns to look.

Red Robin is standing beside him. "I'm not going to jump," Tim says.

"I'd still feel better if you moved away from the edge?"

Tim tilts his head to the side. "Do you think that people have a responsibility to tell their soulmates to stop looking for them."

(It is a well-known fact that Jason Todd-Wayne and his soulmate/fiancé are still eagerly looking for their third. Tim isn't sure why—half their marks should be dark with each other, the other half faded into nothingness. Why bother looking for a person who isn't looking for them?)

"You mean if they've decided they don't want to be part of the triad? Heck yeah, it's not cool to leave people searching forever."

"That is fair." Tim gets off the ledge. "Thank you."

Red Robin stays until Tim goes inside. He is a true, responsible hero. It is good that Tim did not answer his soulmates' tugs. He would not be an adequate soulmate for heroes. Probably, he made a mistake and failed to do something that would have made him worthy, and that is why his mark is gone. Why the second half of Jason Todd-Wayne's mark is faded from his wrist. That happens, sometimes—a person does not follow their fated path and as a result they are no longer the person they would need to be to complete their triad.

The next time Jason Todd-Wayne comes through his check-out lane, Tim is ready. He slips a note into the bag along with the broccoli and noodles.

Jason gets home to the swanky apartment he shares with his soulmate. "Huh, I told him I didn't need the receipt." He takes it out and sets it aside to recycle.

Sometime later, Conner notices the scrap of paper and idly picks it up. Is about to drop it in the recycling bin when he notices it's just blank receipt paper with something handwritten on it. Does a double-take. "Jay… who gave you this?" He steps into the kitchen, shows Jason what's written there. _Stop looking. I don't need to be found._

Jason and Conner rush to the grocery store! (Along the way, Jason is telling himself it could have been anyone—he walked there, walked home, someone could have slipped it in his bag!) Enough time has passed that the very quiet cashier has gone home! They demand to talk to the manager! Manager says Drake quit unexpectedly at the end of his shift. They aren't sad to see him go, he always gave everyone the heebie-jeebies.

They're about to head to the Bunker (it's closer than the cave) to search out Timothy Drake's address when Jason suddenly makes the connection to that weirdly quiet near-jumper Red Robin encountered a while back. He grabs Kon's arm with one hand, pulling out his phone with the other. "Oh shit. I know where we need to go, but I need you to go ahead! I'll call Barbie, see if she can get an apartment number for when you get there."

("Go ahead" is their standard out-of-mask code that Kon is to use super-speed/flight to reach a location as soon as he can do so without being caught.)

Kon arrives in the alley behind the building! Gets inside, Jason calls him a couple minutes later with an apartment number, he (after checking to make sure no one is going to see) speeds up the stairs! Knocks on the door! It opens on the first bang—it wasn't even closed all the way. Whoever lives here was expecting someone to come.

When Jason arrives, Kon is standing in the middle of the apartment, perplexed. "One of the dresser drawers looks like it might have been emptied?" he offers. "I don't… Jason, it doesn't look like anything's missing, but it also doesn't look like anyone ever even _lived_ here. There's all the stuff—food in the fridge, plates in the cupboard, sheets on the bed. There's no dust, but… there's nothing else. No books, no TV, no computer—nothing." (Kon has picked up some detective skills after so many years around Bats.)

"You didn't see anything around the building when you got here, did you? Or hear any chatter about—about an accident?" Jason is really, seriously scared that Timothy may have jumped!

Meanwhile, a part of him wonders—how did Timothy know he would interpret the note correctly? ( _Did_ he understand it correctly?) It was so vague, it wouldn't mean anything to anyone who hadn't spoken to Tim on the roof that night, who's observant enough to have noticed that the quiet cashier at the grocery store has an achingly blank wrist.

"No, nothing like that. It's really quiet. Why, what are you thinking?"

"I don't know. C'mon, Barbie gave me the address for his parents' place, too. Maybe he went there?" They head out again! (But not before Jason plants a bug or two to make sure they'll know if their mystery man comes back.)

Dana Drake is confused as to why Jason Todd-Wayne and his fiancé are on her doorstep? Conner starts to try to explain, but Jason just yanks up his hand, shows her his wrist. (It's not public knowledge what his mark and Conner's marks are. They don't want to risk someone pretending to be their third and faking the mark.) Her face goes very sad as she immediately recognizes the half-matched half of her eldest child's soul mark and she steps aside. "Oh dear. You had better come in."

"I worried, you know. That something might have gone wrong. He used to be so excited about meeting his soulmates someday, but after the accident he… he changed," she says after they sit down in living room. "I want to say I wasn't myself at the time or else I would have noticed, but I don't know if I would have. The change was all so gradual. I always assumed it was because of, well." She clears her throat. "The accident—my husband and wife died while I was pregnant with our second. At the time, Tim was the glue that kept this family together, and I was so in pieces I never considered what he might've given up to be that."

"Do you think." Jason swallows. He doesn't want to ask it, but he has to know. "Mrs. Drake, is it possible your son could be suicidal?"

Conner shoots him a shocked, panicked look and starts to speak, but Mrs. Drake is shaking her head.

"Mr. Wayne, I doubt he's much of anything. I don't think Tim has actually felt anything approximating emotion in a very, very long time."

Kon feels a sick twist of dread in his stomach. He has an inkling of what that might mean, has had many conversations with Clark about what sorts of things can happen in a soulbond when one of the members isn't human. (Obviously, Kon wasn't a part of the family yet when Doomsday "killed" Superman, but he saw what happened when Bruce was lost in time, saw the way Lois nearly had her own soul pulled to shreds when the bond with her human husband was stretched so thin and Clark's Kryptonian physiology meant he could quite be the psychological soul-crutch a human omega would have been.)

Blindly reaching out, he grabs mate's hand and clings. Jason squeezes back as they rise to their feet. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Drake."

"Before you go, can I show you something?" They shrug and agree. They have no real leads at the moment, so they figure there's no harm in following Mrs. Drake through the house.

She opens a door. "I don't know if you've seen his apartment—I've only ever been once, when he first moved in and he let me drive him there. He didn't really take anything aside from clothes, so I'm not sure if he's done any decorating, but. This is where he grew up."

The difference between this room and the sterile studio apartment they were in earlier is shocking. There are posters on the walls, books and knick knacks on the shelves, a several years-out-of-date laptop resting on the edge of the desk, a thick layer of dust coating the top of it.

"Jason," Conner says, squeezing the hand in his. "The bedding."

He didn't need to draw attention to it—the room is positively busy compared to Timothy Drake's apartment, but still the bedding is the brightest thing there. Superman sheets, topped by a Superman comforter.

Mrs. Drake smiles, somewhat sadly. "Before my partners died, Tim was rather fascinated with superheroes. He was particularly fond of Robin, though I suspect he had a bit of a crush on Superboy as well." She nods to one of the posters, an old glamor shot of Kon from back when he had an agent and still did stupid publicity stuff.

"It's good to have interests," Jason says, not entirely sure why they're being shown this. He's not sure how he feels about this particular revelation—it's a little disturbing to think that their missing third was once some kind of fanboy.

"I was always the most approachable of the three of us, and he used to regale me with stories of what kinds of heroics they used to get up to." She crosses the room and gets on her hands and knees to pull a box out from under the bed, easily inputting the combination. "My birthday, you know. I think he would have changed it to something harder when he got older, but he lost interest."

She opens the box and turns it, showing neatly organized photographs. Jason bends over and pulls out the first one, nearly dropping it when he recognizes it as one of himself, flying through the air with a mask over his eyes and a smile on his face. He picks up another, and this time it's Dick in the Robin suit. Grabbing one from the very back, he's startled to realize it doesn't show Robin, but the Flying Graysons standing with Mrs. Drake and her partners, Dick holding what must be a very young Timothy. "What in the world…?"

Mrs. Drake clears her throat. "My son used to tell me stories about his heroes, Mr. Wayne, so you'll understand that I have very high expectations for you finding him and bringing him safely home."

So this is the point where I mention that Tim is the omega for this triad… and has never had a heat, not really. He's had times where his body starts to act like it might go into heat, but nothing really happens. He isn't concerned by it (he isn't anything).

(Jason is the alpha, Kon's hybrid genes mean he's somewhere between a null and a beta. Kon playing a beta while Clark plays omega is yet one more layer of subterfuge to keep Luthor from making the Clark-Superman connection.)

Tim's soulmates have most certainly had ruts (which… does not make sense because they aren't both alphas and they still aren't sure how that's happening, though sometimes Jason also has ruts Kon doesn't share beyond being attuned to his soulmate and the two of them having a good time together). They have had moments of desperate, aching loneliness where all they can do is cling to one another and ride it out because even though they're right there, they have each other (sometimes, more than that, sometimes they're in a crowded room with numerous friends and/or family), it hurts so much that they feel like they won't ever find anyone, they'll always be just as alone as they are now.

So. _Apparently_ breaking a triad bond (even one that's not been completed) when there's alien DNA involved causes some… problems. Yes, broken triad bonds frequently result in minor depression and extended periods of apathy (see: Dana, though it was worse for her because the bond completed, she was very much in love with her spouses, _and_ she was pregnant at the time), but it's survivable. Many go on to live perfectly normal, healthy lives, some even have successful relationships with others who have left/lost their triads for one reason or another.

But you add in alien DNA and it gets… weird. Rather than simply being apathetic/depressed, feelings/emotions started to literally bleed out of Tim across the ruptured bond to the other two. He can _have_ feelings, but he can't _experience_ them anymore—they slip away before he can ever even recognize their formation.

He probably doesn't even realize this is happening. Or, if he does, it doesn't matter. Why should it.

"This would be so much easier if you would just do the shopping sometimes," Jason says as he tries to find everything he can on Timothy 'Tim' Drake back in the Bunker, later. The kid _used_ to have a digital footprint, but then it just… disappeared one day. Like he stopped caring. "Then you could just listen for his heartbeat."

"That only works with people I know really well." Conner sighs, flopping against Jason's back, draping his arms over broad shoulders. "I can't believe he was _right there_ all along and we never even realized it."

" _I_ can't believe he was fucking following me and Dick and B around and taking pictures of us and we never noticed!"

"Don't forget figuring out who you all are. And me, by extension." And probably Clark as well, though neither of them are about to go so far as to admit that.

"You don't know that for sure—that photo of the Graysons being in that box may've been total coincidence."

"Dude, of course he knows. His mom straight up _told_ us she knows."

"She just strongly implied, she never said—"

"Jason. Be fair," Kon says gently, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "Our third is basically a genius."

He sighs, leaning back into comforting embrace of his beta's invulnerable arms. "You know Bruce'll try to steal him."

Kon's eyes flash red and he quickly closes them before he can accidentally cause any damage. "I'd like to see him _try_." Worse comes to worse, he'll get Lois on their side to make sure Bruce keeps his greedy paws to himself.

At the train station, Tim is waiting. He took all the money out of his savings account ( _his_ account, the one he uses for rent and food, not the one that he keeps for his family), quit his job because it will make things uncomfortable for Jason Todd-Wayne to know that his could-have-been third is working at his local supermarket, and bought a train ticket for a different city, far away.

Wanting isn't something Tim really does anymore, but he tries not to make his family uncomfortable, and Jason and Superboy are like family. Could have been family. If he hadn't turned out to be a substandard soulmate.

He is leaving Gotham because Red Robin is a detective and it's only a matter of time before he figures out that Tim knows the Waynes' secret. Batman will not be happy that a civilian his family's identities. He will see Tim as a threat and may even bother Tim's mom and sister. It would not be responsible of him if he let Batman disturb his family.

The television on the wall is playing the news and Tim tunes it out. He remembers that when he was younger, he enjoyed watching the news because there were sometimes stories about superheroes like the Teen Titans saving the day. There is probably something ironic about the fact that a younger him loved to hear about Robin and Superboy teaming up to save the day. He does not find it funny now, but then he hasn't found humor in anything for a long time.

The woman sitting beside him says, "That's so sad. Those poor boys." She is trying to engage him in a conversation. People do this sometimes, before they notice that there's something not quite right about him and excuse themselves.

"Is something wrong?"

She gestures to the television. "He and his partner finally found their third, only then the silly thing ran off! A real-life Cinderella story."

He dutifully turns his attention to the screen. Jason Todd-Wayne is there, leaning into Conner Kent. They look very sad, clinging to each other. That's strange, they shouldn't be sad. He told them they didn't need to keep looking, that they were already complete. If anything, they should be happier now.

"Oh, honey. Are you alright?" the woman asks, turning her concern to Tim. "You're crying."

Tim frowns. Reaches up to touch his cheek—it's wet. How very odd. He hasn't cried since his parents died.

MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE:

Usually, Kon loves press conferences, but they're a lot more boring when he's doing them as Conner Kent instead of as Superboy. Particularly since he has to slouch and make sure to keep his face turned away. He only has the glasses and the flannel to keep anyone from recognizing him, after all.

For now, he leans into Jason, playing the part of the farm kid thrust into the unexpected spotlight by his pseudo-celebrity soulmate. Clark and Lois _definitely_ have an easier time of this, since they usually know the person interviewing them. Plus, everyone is terrified of Lois.

Everything seems to be winding up and he feels a sudden, piercing stab of _regret_. "Oh. I think."

"I think he's watching," Jason finishes, stumbling into him and clinging tightly as Tam quickly ushers them out of the room and away from the cameras, leaving Lois to control the rest of the conference. Knowing her, she'll probably come out on top and still end up stealing a story from all the rest.

"I don't get how you can even still feel him," she says as soon as the door is firmly closed behind them and they're safely ensconced in a private lounge. "You said it yourself, his mark is gone from his wrist and yours, the bond is broken. People don't feel excised thirds."

"I, ah. I have a theory," Jason gasps, collapsing onto the couch and pulling Kon down after him. The intensity of the _regret_ definitely lessens the more contact there is between them. "You remember what Mrs. Drake said, how he was wearing that wrist brace for all that time and then stopped when he was sixteen? I worked out the timing, and I'm pretty sure his mark disappeared completely when Conner came back to life."

"What?"

"Soulmarks disappear when a person dies, and their partners lose it too," Tam says. "Why would it be affected by someone coming _back_?"

"Look. Mine lost Conner's half when he died, and Timothy probably lost it too. Then Kon came back, and we rebonded, but I only had one mark then, so that's the one that went dark. We accidentally cut Tim out of the triad. He would have only had half a mark left, then the person it was supposed to bond to—me—bonded with someone else, so maybe his winked out entirely."

"Shit," Kon groans. "This is all my fault."

"This is _not_ your fault," Jason and Tam immediately shoot back in unison. Jason shoots his friend a grateful smile. "It's in no way your fault. If anyone's at fault, it's that crazy Superboy who killed you in the first place."

"But if I hadn't come back—"

Jason grabs his hand, squeezing it tightly. " _Never_ say that. I was a mess without you."

"It's true, he was. Boy couldn't even tie his own shoelaces."

"That is a blatant exaggeration and I resent the implications of it," Jason grumbles, pressing his face into Kon's neck and inhaling deeply. It helps a little, but the _regret_ is still there, pressing against him and weighing him down.

"Hey, I was wondering—why haven't you done anything about this sooner, if you've been feeling it all this time?"

"Well, there wasn't much we _could_ do. We were getting feelings from our third," and props to Kon for figuring out they apparently also feel their third's heats during the strange, off-cycle 'ruts' they share, "so we knew he was still alive. Aside from that, we didn't have a clue where to start looking."

"Normally soulbonds have a strong foundation in shared experiences and values, so soulmates tend to travel in the same circles and run into each other that way," Tam says thoughtfully, curling up in a nearby armchair. "From what you've told me of Tim, it sounds like he was on track to be caught by you or the big boss during his nighttime photography adventures, except those got cut short when his parents died."

"It's one great big mess," Jason agrees, shifting to pull away slightly.

Kon whines in protest, trying to cling and hold him close. It's not fair that Jason's already starting to look like his normal, put-together self and Kon still feels absolutely miserable. It doesn't make sense—they normally share the burden of the alien equally emotions. Nothing's changed for them, except… "Hey." He sits up straight, then immediately hunches down again, curling into his mate. "I think you might've proto-bonded."

"What?"

"The regret—it's still pretty intense for me. But you're feeling a better already, I can tell. I think you might have initiated the bonding process when you interacted with him."

Tam leans forward, making a inquiring noise. "Did you two touch skin-to-skin? That can be enough to start it sometimes, especially with bonds that are destined to be particularly strong."

"I. We might have? I think he's been working at that store for a while now. There's a chance we brushed hands when he gave me my change?" A slow smile creeps across Jason's face. "Shit, you know what this means? _We can find him_."

There's a cheer from Tam and she hops to her feet, phone already in hand as she texts furiously.

"What are you doing?" Jason eyes her with suspicion born of many long years of friendship.

"Letting Barbara know. We are going to film the _heck_ out of this Disney romance story when you three finally meet."

A SHORT TIME LATER:

Tim is just about to open the door of the train station when it's yanked out of his hand and suddenly there's Jason Todd-Wayne front and center, Conner Kent sort of trailing behind—which should be strange because why would a normal human outpace Superboy? How odd. "Oh. Hello."

"You little shit," Jason says, eyes already tearing up. "I can't believe you thought you could leave a _note_ and just fuck off to wherever. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"You said it was best for an excised third to—"

"To _tell_ the other two, not write a _note_ and then disappear into the great blue beyond because, what? Feelings are too _hard_ for you?"

"I don't know about that," Tim answers truthfully. His own feelings haven't really been something he expends much effort on in a long time. "I didn't think you should concern yourselves looking for someone you didn't need to find."

"Didn't need—" Jason growls, dragging him through the door and to the side, away from the busy rush of commuters. "Why the hell _wouldn't_ we need you, fucker? You're our _soulmate_!"

"I'm not, though." Tim carefully turns back his sleeve and holds up his arm to show them his very blank wrist. "I'm not anyone's. But that's for the best. You don't need a normal person for a third. Not with what you do." He meets first Jason's eyes, then Conner's.

"Dude, from what your mom's told us about you, you're nowhere near normal," Conner gasps, clinging to Jason's shoulder like he needs that solid support. How strange. Tim doesn't think there's anything around that might hinder a Kryptonian.

Conner nearly doubles over in apparent pain. "Fuck! Okay, ow. Why are you so scared? There's nothing, nothing here to be scared of. Not unless you're scared of us, and that's—Jay's a big teddy bear, honest."

"I'm not scared." Why would Superboy think that? Tim is never scared, not anymore. Not even when he stood on the edge of the roof and looked down. Or when he slipped the note into Jason's grocery bag. He's never scared. He's never anything.

"Ah! Y-you are, you really. Really are."

"Is something the matter?"

"Is something—fucking _yes_ something is the matter," Jason snaps. "We keep feeling everything you're feeling, Tim, the bond isn't broken! It's even worse for Conner, because he's never made contact with you before, so he doesn't even have a proto-bond to lessen the intensity."

"I don't understand. I don't have a mark." He holds up his wrist again to show them, then blinks. The faint outline of a shape is there. A vague bird that hasn't been there in years. "What?"

"You know what we do," Jason says, pitching his voice low as he and Conner crowd Tim up against the wall of the building. "You know that our lives aren't exactly… normal, always. Sometimes things… happen. Conner and I, we think that might have thrown a wrench in the works for our bond. You kinda got shafted because you weren't part of the bond at the time."

"I don't understand what you mean." Tim is still staring at his wrist, confused. He hasn't had a mark in years. There shouldn't be anything here—soulmarks don't just _come back_ after disappearing. Once they're gone, they're gone.

"I… got ah. Hurt. Very badly," Conner offers. "Very badly and what would normally be very permanently. It was all over the news," he adds in the lowest of whispers.

Tim shakes his head. "I don't watch the news anymore. I stopped when my mom and sister needed me. I was too busy to watch anything."

Conner glances at his mate, begging him to help out somehow. Jason's always been better at talking around a thing than him, at saying something without ever stating it directly. Jason bites his lip, clearly concentrating. "You were leaving the station. Why?"

"I. I saw you on the TV and I started crying. I don't know why. I never cry anymore, and I wasn't sad. It made me… uncomfortable." He frowns. That's not right. He left the station because it was stuffy and hard to breathe. Why would he say something different?

"It's not _your_ fault either," Jason snaps at him, reacting automatically to the feelings radiating out across from their unlikely third. Sighs. "Tim, if you don't want to confirm the bond with us, that's fine, that's your choice. But at least let us _fix_ it first. You can't want to be like this for the rest of your life, can you? Not feeling anything?" 

Tim tears his eyes away from the faint, barely there mark on his wrist and tilts his head to the side. "I don't want anything. It's fine."

"Well, then. You don't want Conner to keep feeling everything you _should_ be feeling, do you? At least let him reattach his proto-bond as well," Jason begs, grasping one of Conner's hands and holding it out towards Tim.

"Jay, he doesn't have to—"

"To hell he doesn't. I'm not gonna let you stay like this if he can fix it."

"What would I have to do?" Tim asks. These two heroes are… like family. He's supposed to look after his family, his dad said.

"Just touch his hand with yours."

"Alright," Tim says, and places his hand over the top of their joined ones.

And, well. It's the first time all three of them are coming into physical contact with one another all at the same time.

They _all_ pass out.

Right in front of the crowded station.

A lot of people watching, because people know when a triad meets for the first time (though this one seems to be somewhat atypical?). …and, hey, isn't that one of Bruce Wayne's kids?

Tam has to fend off the wolves! (Of _course_ Tam was right behind them, she was not going to miss out on something this epic. Nor is she going to miss out on teasing Jason and Conner _forever_ about how they went down like rocks the first time Tim deliberately touched them. Granted, Tim did too, but he's never had special Bat training.)

Jason's parents show up to carry pretty promptly (almost like they were somewhere nearby, watching) to carry these ridiculous kids to the car and drive them all back to the manor where Tim's mom and sister are already waiting. Once they wake up, Tim is just overwhelmed? With all of these feelings?? And need to hug?? His mom? And omg his baby sister who he's never really managed to have a relationship with because no feelings. He can't stop clinging and crying.

It's all _very_ intense.

Jason doesn't even realize he's grabbing Jon and hugging him close until tiniest bro is grumbling in (token) protest. Tam is flummoxed! "I thought reconnecting the basic bond was supposed to _stop_ you from mirroring all his emotions. You haven't actually solidified the bond, have you?"

Kon looks up from where he's inexplicably hugging Damian (Kon and Lois are the only ones other than Dick who can get away with this—Kon because invulnerability, Lois because _terrifying_ ). (Clark doesn't hug without permission; Damian is still learning that he can ask for hugs if he wants them so permission is never gained.) "It's just… really intense."

"Tim always was particularly empathic when he was little," Mrs. Drake says, dabbing at the tears in her eyes with a handkerchief Alfred thoughtfully provided. "I wouldn't be surprised it extended to his soulbonds as well."

Alfred sniffs and murmurs something about how it wouldn't hurt to have a little more empathy in the house. (He's joking, of course—all the children have done a wonderful job getting his son to be less of a grumpypuss, and of course Clark and Lois have worked _miracles_.)

Look, while all this hugging is happening, you know Bruce has, like. Egged Clark into moving Tim's mom and sister into the manor. ("They know the secret, Clark. Even if Tim still decides to break the bond, there's a connection between our families that will put them at risk. Do you want to risk to leaving innocent citizens in possible danger?")

It is possible (probable) Lois helps Bruce with this egging. (And terrifies Barry into helping as well.)

Anyway. When all the hugging is over and the crying has finally stopped, Tim clears his throat and slowly straightens from where he was crouched over his sister. "I, uh. I don't really see how this can work. You're… _you_. And I'm… really not. I'm just me."

Lois ends her call and calmly tucks her phone away. "Trust me when I say you don't have to wear a cape to be a hero in this family."

"Dick doesn't even wear one most of the time!" Jon volunteers. "And neither do Cass, Kory, Roy—"

"Yes, sweetheart, but that's beside the point."

Tim's little sister, who is (well, _was_ ) totally in the dark about secret identities and all that is just. Staring open-mouthed at Clark (who's just snuck back in from his Secret Mission). "Tim," she whispers, tugging at her big brother's shirt, "that's _Superman_." 

Clark flashes a sheepish grin as he hurries to muss up his hair (slicked back by flying/moving at high speeds!) and put his glasses back on. "Sorry," he mouths at Bruce, who is glaring at him.

" _Tim_ , say yes. _Superman_."

And, like. Tim has been an awful big brother. He hasn't been there for his family emotionally for the past several years (hasn't been there for himself). At the same time, he's really not in a good place to make any permanent decisions right now. "How about… A trial run. I don't want to lock myself into anything with people I don't actually know."

"That's fair," Jason acknowledges. Even he and Conner took some time to warm up to each other, though of course they didn't learn they were soulmates until some time after they met. "Conner?"

"I can live with that," Conner agrees.

What followed was some very intense (and successful) wooing!

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER, THE END.

**Author's Note:**

> [I have a tumblr!](http://themandylion.tumblr.com/) Come visit if you want ridiculous AU headcanons, rants about the English language (and/or educational publishing), history fangirling, adorable baby bats, and veeeeery occasional fanart.


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